Fault in Accidents With Learners Permit

A driver with a learner’s permit who is in a car accident is held to the same standards as other drivers, but their liability depends on their actions, supervision, and the circumstances of the collision. 

Accidents involving a driver with a learner’s permit can be both clear-cut and complicated. An experienced car accident claim lawyer like Gage Mathers can help you navigate the interconnected responsibility and how to best pursue compensation.

Learner’s Permit Drivers in Arizona

In Arizona, you have to be fifteen years and six months old to get an instruction permit. Once you have this permit, you must be accompanied by a licensed driver who is at least twenty-one years old. 

After meeting the necessary stipulations regarding hours of driving time and age, you can apply for a provisional license. After this, you can get your driver’s license.

Learner’s Permit Accident Liability Scenarios

When the Permit Holder Is at Fault

The steps to file a claim for a learner driver accident are the same as any other. In these cases, however, the policy is often that of the driver’s parent or guardian. Arizona is an at-fault state, so any driver responsible for an accident pays for a percentage of the damages equal to their percentage of responsibility.

When the Permit Holder Is Not at Fault

An accident involving someone without a full driver’s license might seem messy, but that’s not always the case. A simple way to think about such cases is this: experience does not determine liability, action does.

If a driver involved in an accident is a teenager or a less experienced driver with a permit and another driver caused the crash, the fault still rests with the second driver. Younger drivers are often involved in more accidents, but this doesn’t mean they are always responsible.

It’s important for permit drivers to be aware of their rights and know that they are not obligated to accept a percentage of fault.

When Things Get Complicated

When an accident involving a driver with a learner’s permit is investigated, fault can go from one person to another. Because permit drivers are in some ways shaped by their supervisors and educators, it isn’t unheard of that these supervisors and educators are brought into the investigation.

Not only do the logistical details of such cases matter, the emotional component can add complications. Parents and guardians can get protective, young drivers can get overwhelmed, and insurance companies can use either of these things to their advantage. This is another reason that hiring an expert can help give you what you need.

Protecting Yourself and Your Children

It’s important in the aftermath of any accident to stay calm and seek an expert’s help. This is doubly important for collisions involving drivers with learner’s permits. 

Gage Mathers has a staff full of lawyers well versed in Arizona law. We understand how accident location affects investigations, and we’re ready to make sure your rights (and the rights of a driver you were supervising) are protected!

About the Author

Joseph D'Aguanno

Guided by the belief that being a highly skilled specialist in a narrow field is better than being ordinary in everything, Joseph “JD” D’Aguanno leads Arizona’s best personal injury law firm in Phoenix, AZ. Having extensive cross-training in pre-litigation negotiations and trial lawyer skills, with decades of experience, JD strives to provide clients with the most valuable legal services a personal injury lawyer can provide. Under his direction, Gage Mathers Law Group is an award-winning personal injury law firm providing aggressive representation to victims of a car accident, medical malpractice, dog bite, motorcycle accident, and other injurious events. Gage Mathers is trusted by thousands of lawyers and clients throughout the country because of their reputation for getting clients the maximum compensation they deserve.

Years of experience: Over 24 years
Bar number: 020421
Location: Phoenix, AZ
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